What is Haj?

The fifth pillar of Islam is to make a pilgrimage (Haj) to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, at least once in a lifetime. This pillar is obligatory for every Muslim, male or female, provided that he/she is physically and financially able to do so.

Prerequisites for performing the Haj are to be a Muslim, to be free, to be an adult or mature enough, to be of sound mind, and to have the ability to afford the journey and maintain one's dependents back home for the duration. The reward for the Haj is nothing less than Paradise.

The Haj is the ultimate form of worship, as it involves the spirit of all the other rituals and demands of the believer great sacrifice. On this unique occasion, nearly 2-3 million Muslims from all over the globe meet one another in a given year. Regardless of the season, pilgrims wear special clothes (Ihram) - very simple, unsown white garments - which strips away all distinctions of wealth, status, class and culture; all stand together and equal before Allah (God).

The rites of Haj, which go back to the time of Prophet Ibrahim (A.H.S.) who built the Ka'bah, are observed over five or six days, beginning on the eighth day of the last month of the year, named Dhul-Hijjah (pilgrimage). These rites include circumambulating the Ka'bah (Tawaf), and going between the mountains of Safaand Marwah, as Hajar (Ibrahim (A.H.S.)’s wife did during her search for water for her son Isma'il (A.H.S.). Then the pilgrims stand together on the wide plain of Arafah and join in prayers towards Aallah (S.W. T) forgiveness, in what is often thought of as a preview of the Last Judgment. The pilgrims also cast stones at a stone pillar which represents Satan and sacrifice (Qurbani), and coming out of Ihraam followed by Tawaaf e Ziyaarah (Tawaafe Ifaadah).